


Getting Somewhere

by ivycross



Series: A Series of Horrible (Maybe Not So Horrible) Encounters [5]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Apartment AU, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 01:50:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13020720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivycross/pseuds/ivycross
Summary: Danny and Steve find themselves following the same track as they both look for more information on their case.  Steve thinks he knows who the suspect is. Danny starts to realize there's more to Steve than he thought.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Two years later and we have an update. To everyone following this, I'm sorry. My muse is hard to deal with on the best of days and things have been up and down for a while. Thank you for your patience.  
> Not beta read.

Danny looks at the building in front of him then back to his partner. “A shaved ice stand? That's where your informant is?” “Yeah. Man's gotta make living. Just let me do the talking alright. He's funny around Haoles,” Meka says. Danny glowers, placing his hands on his hips. “What did I say about that word?” Meka grins. “Settle down, Brah. You know I don't mean anything by it.”

“I still don't like it,” Danny says. Meka shrugs and starts toward the shaved ice stand. It would seem he made his point and that was that.

Danny gives the building another incredulous stare, wondering why they're even bothering. Steve made it plain that their help is not wanted and Danny has had enough of his neighbor’s shitty attitude for one lifetime. Only he knows himself and he knows Meka. They're not men to let things drop. There is a murder to solve and they will do all they can to bring whoever is responsible to justice. Steve McGarrett and Five-0 can go soak their heads if they don't like it.

Just then Danny is confronted with a familiar sound. The roar of Steve's truck. It's sad that Danny can identify the sound the sleek blue Silverado makes. He's only defense is that Steve keeps weird hours and his truck's revving engine has woken him more times than he cares to admit. It has nothing to do with the fact that before Danny realized the man is an absolute ass he had done a little safe distance stalking. Steve is a jerk, yes, but a gorgeous jerk and one that likes to run around without a shirt on most days.

As Steve leaves the truck, the two of them glare at one another for a solid five seconds. "What are you doing here?" Steve asks, looking put upon. That or he's having an aneurysm.

"You mean other than the fact this is free country?" Danny shoots back giving Steve a pointed look.

Steve's upper lip curls back a hair but says nothing so Danny continues. "Meka and I are hoping to get some info from this guy. Meka tells me he knows about everything that happens on this godforsaken rock so maybe he’ll know something about the victim."

Steve blinks at him before setting his hands on his hips. "Huh," he says.

"Huh? That's all you got. I'm surprised. What with you being a master conversationalist and all."

Steve's lip curls a little more as his nose wrinkles in disgust. "I was surprised that you would even bother to find useful information. I figured you would be too busy fussing with your tie or car."

Danny's eyes narrow. He knows Steve is baiting him and he wants to rise up and take it. Yet he knows that will get him nowhere, except a place in the unemployment line. He glares for a second more before turning to follow Meka. His partner is nowhere in sight so that means he's already at the stand and probably talking to their guy. All while Danny is out in the parking lot matching wits with this Neanderthal. Some cop he is.

He stops when he realizes Steve is following right behind him. He turns to look at the man. "Can I help you?" "Doubtful. You can barely help yourself." Danny's blood is boiling under his skin as he can feel the heat rising up his neck and face. Steve smirking like the complete jerk he is. Danny licks his lips, taking a slow deep breath. “Let me guess. You’re here to question this guy too?”

Steve nods his head, smiling. Danny’s hands ball into fists at his sides and he shuts his eye for a second. “Of course,” he says under his breath. He relaxes his hands and opening his eyes again, he pins Steve down with his stare. “Well Meka and I are already here, so why don’t you go question someone else?”

Steve crosses his arms over his chest, unimpressed. “Or since I’m already here, I come with you, we all ask a few questions and get the information we’re looking for. I think I already know who the killer is. I just want Kamakona to confirm it.”

Danny blinks, his mouth hanging open. “You already have a suspect? Who?”

Steve suddenly looks away. To Danny, he looks worried and scared. “Don’t worry about it,” he says and his voice is all wrong. The arrogance is gone now replaced with something else.

“Steve?” Danny starts, no longer puffed up and angry but curious. He should be pissed that the man is withholding information but right then, he wants to ask what going on inside Steve's head.

It looks like though that will have to wait as Steve looks at him once more his expression hardening. “Don’t worry about it. Five-0 can handle it without your help.” In an instant, he blows past Danny heading toward the shaved ice stand.

“That cocksucker,” Danny growls as he heads after Steve.

~*~

This isn’t the worst day of his life, Danny muses but it still sucks. He's standing next to his car, the oversized shirt he's wearing hanging uncomfortably off his shoulder. He's also trying not to acknowledge Steve beside him. What's worse, in spite of the fact Steve is wearing the same shirt, he somehow manages to pull it off. He has one hand cocked on his hip as he stares out at the people around them. At least the shaved ice is good.

Really, it isn’t that bad as Steve isn’t talking to Danny or even registering his presence. What is bad is that Meka is pissed at him. Was it his fault that when he and Steve arrived to talk to Kamanona—A whale of a man. No wonder all the shirts he sold were XXL and up—Steve butted in, throwing his weight, and money, around like an ass? No. So it shouldn’t be his fault that he had to say something to the guy and have another fight with him. Okay, he shouldn't have said anything. As it was Meka broke up the fight between them, telling them both to go wait by the car. That he would handle it.

Danny sighs as he takes another bite of his shaved ice. Steve hasn’t' even touched his, letting it rest in his hand as it slowly melts in its paper cup. Danny hopes that it leaks on him and stains those stupid cargo pants Steve always seems to wear.

“Are you a cop?”

Danny turns his attention away from his treat to the little girl addressing Steve. It’s comical the way the man reacts to her and her question. He peers down at her as if assessing a threat.

“No,” Steven answers.

“You look like a cop.”

Danny snorts at the little girl's reply and the pinched look on Steve's face. The man is obviously at a loss, which surprises Danny. He'd done so well with Grace, but Danny chalks that up to his little girl being a gracious and well-mannered child.

“Hey, you like shaved ice?” Steve asks his tone a tad on the desperate side. Oh dear...

“I don't like shaved ice.” This child isn’t going away anytime soon. Danny knows he can't leave this encounter to Steve alone. The man suddenly looks panicky.

Danny takes another bite of his cone before reaching into the open window of his car. “Hey, do you like bunnies?” He says pulling out a large stuffed rabbit.

“I do," she says, her eyes lighting up.

“Well, there you go," Danny hands her the toy. "Why don't you go show your mommy?” The child nods and runs off, the toy clutched to her chest. Danny can only imagine what the child's parent will have to say, but with any luck, they'll be long gone before anyone comes looking for them.

He resumes his stance against the car, turning his attention back to his shaved ice. He ignores the look Steve is giving him.

“Why do you have that?” Steve asks.

“It was a gift for Grace. You forget I am a father, so the fact that I would have toys in my car is not as strange as you would think. So don't stand there looking at me like I'm some kind of creep.”

“I didn't say you were a creep.”

Danny huffs. “I didn't say you did. I said you have a look.” He turns to face Steve, ready to start trading verbal and, if necessary, physical blows.

Steve looks ready too. Danny can see it in the man's face, so it surprises him when Steve blows out a breath, taking a step back. Danny starts to comment when Meka comes back a huge grin on his face.

“You both look,” he pauses looking them over. “Like tourists,” he finishes with a giggle.

Danny scowls. From the corner of his eye, he can see Steve cross his arms over his chest. “Oh har har,” Danny says. “What'd you find out?”

“Not much. No one’s really talking about Jarlson's death. Like it didn't happen. Kamekona did say we could try talking to a guy named Sang Min. That he might tell us something.”

“Sang Min?” Steve asks.

“You know him?” Danny asks.

“We locked him up a few month back for human trafficking. Did Kamekona say why him?”

Meka shakes his head. “Not really. Kamekona acted he didn’t want to say too much. Which if you know the man is weird, especially with your haole ass throwing around loot like you did.”

The pinched look is back on Steve's face, this time more intense. “Hey. “I’m kama'aina. I was born here.”

Meka shrugs again, his posture speaking volumes about how little he cares. “Still look haole to me.” He turns his attention to Danny who’s been watching the exchange with interest. “Come on, brah. Let's go pay this Sang Min a visit.”

“Alright.” Danny throws his shaved ice and the shirt in a nearby trash can. As he pulls his keys from his pocket, he sees Steve tosses his stuff too and moves toward the Camero. “Um, what are you doing?” he asks

“I'm coming with you,” Steve says. “Figure we could ride over together.” Danny feels panic well up inside him as he looks to Meka.

“Don't look at me,” Meka says getting into the car. “He’s your neighbor.”

Danny gapes at his partner's betrayal before looking back at Steve. “You want to come with us?” He asks, his tone incredulous.

Steve gives him a look that screams UH DUH, before replying. “Yeah. That’s what I just said.”

Danny doesn’t like this idea at all. For one, he feels that Steve will get in the way. It's a shitty thing to think too because isn’t that what Steve inferred about him and Meka? Two, he’s seen way too much of the man for his liking in one day and his shoulder is still killing him from earlier.

“Danny, I know this guy,” Steve says his tone soft. Pleading almost and once more Danny sees the worry etched across Steve’s face. “Let me come. If you don’t want me riding with you, fine. I can follow in my truck.”

Danny sucks on his lips and nods. “That might be a better idea,” he says, getting in his car. As he’s buckling his seat belt he watches Steve trot to his vehicle.

“What’s with him?  He did a complete 180,” Meka says.

Danny looks to his partner. “I don’t know, but I think it has something to do with what I told you earlier.”

Meka’s eyebrows shoot up as he blinks. “For real?”

“Yeah,” Danny replies turning the Camaro's engine over and pulling out of the parking lot.

~*~

Sang Min is about what Danny expected from a guy in prison for selling human beings for profit. He’s snide, bitchy, and oily.

He’s also very unhelpful. He’s sitting on the other side of the bulletproof glass staring at them, the phone receiver up to one ear but refusing to speak. Steve is shouting at the man, laying down every threat he can think of and nothing has worked.

“I swear to god all mighty, I will see to it you never see the light of day again. I can make it so that your stay here is something out Dante’s Inferno if you don’t tell me something right now!”

“I don’t think he cares, Brah,” Meka says.

Danny agrees. Right now, Sang Min is a man that gives no fucks. Steve turns to glare at them, his eyes dark and menacing. Danny doesn’t like that look, not directed at him and Meka, and makes a point to glare back. Steve catches his eyes and quickly looks away, turning back toward Sang Min.

“How about your family?” He says. Danny catches the way Sang Min's eyes move for a moment. Steve may have hit a nerve. “I can still make good on my threats,” Steve continues and Sing Min's face hardens like a stone. He moves shifting his body so that he’s no longer looking at them. Steve inhales sharply through his nose and curses so loudly that Danny’s sure that everyone on the island can hear him. He steps up and taps Steve on the shoulder.

“What’s the deal with his family?” Danny asks.

Steve lowers the phone receiver in his hand. “He has a wife and son. I threatened to have them deported if he didn’t help with another case. It would seem that it’s not going to work this time.” Yeah, Danny can see that too. Maybe Steve isn't working the best angle.

He clears his throat. “Hey. Let me talk to him.”

Steve peers at him the expression on his face looks like he’s having another aneurysm. “What?”

“I have an idea. Just let me talk to him,” Danny says. Steve gives him a dark look but hands Danny the receiver. Sang Min seems to be watching all this out of the corner of his eyes, a trace of amusement on his bitchy little face.

Danny takes a seat in the chair, noting how warm it is. Okay yeah, now is not the time to be thinking that he’s sitting where Steve just had his ass two seconds before. The guy's world-class jerk. Please remember this brain. He instead focuses on Sang Min.

“You have to excuse my associate,” Danny starts. “He’s a Neanderthal and doesn’t know how to talk to people.” Behind him hear hears Steve make an objectionable grunt. Danny feels proves his point.

Sang Min turns back around in his seat, facing the glass once more. “That son-of-a-bitch let his buddy hit me with an ashtray!”

Both Danny and Meka turn to look at Steve questioningly. Steve sniffs and looks away. Danny isn’t sure if that’s an admission of guilt or indifference. He turns back to Sang Min and tosses him a friendly smile. “Like I said, Neanderthal. But we are not here to talk about him and what he may or may not have allowed. We wanna ask you a few questions and then we’re on our way.”

“Fuck off, haole.”

Danny licks his lips and takes a slow breath. He really hates that fucking word. “Okay. I get it. You don’t wanna talk to us. Understandable. I don’t think I would want to talk in your position either.”

This seems to have Sang Min’s attention. He is giving Danny a curious look, one eyebrow raised.

Danny presses on. “I mean, you’re in prison. Which sucks and I doubt you’re very popular here, not with what I’ve heard. So, you’ve got that against you and then you’re away from your family too so that doubly sucks.”

“You could say that,” Sang Min answers, his tone cautious. At least he’s talking.

“Yeah, I can relate,” Danny says. “Well, not completely. I’ve never been to prison, but I know what’s it’s like to not see my family or, mainly, to not be able to see my child.” Danny pauses to let that sink in.

“See, My wife and I… We’re divorced. Should have seen it coming but hey, shit happens right? Only my ex, she remarries. Some guy with money and all that jazz. Next thing I know, he’s moving her and my daughter to this pineapple infested hell hole.”

He pauses again. He’s sure that he has Sang Min’s attention. The man’s eyes are locked on him, his face completely open.

“So, I’m left trying to figure out what I can do. I mean I still have my family, my friends, my job, but without my child… It's not enough. So I say fuck it. I sell everything I own, which isn’t much.” He gives a self-depreciating smile. “I lost most of it in divorce, but still, I seel what I can, borrow money from my parents, put in a transfer at my job and travel five thousand miles. All so I can see my little girl again.”

Sang Min is no longer looking at him. The man has turned his head to one side, licking his lips. “Why are you telling me this?” He says.

Danny leans forward. “Because I wanna help. I know how it feels not to be able to see your kid. I was lucky. I could do something about it, but you...” He shrugs his shoulders, lips pursed. “You’re stuck and my boy here,” he jabs a thumb over his shoulder toward Steve. “He will make good on his threats. He will make it so you don’t see that kid again until after he’s outta of college and that's if he's feeling generous.”

He turns to see Steve glaring at Sang Min before looking back. “I don’t want that to happen, so tell ya what. Tell us what you know, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that you get to see your family. And I’m not talking about just for a minute behind glass. I mean a full visit, in a room, where you can hug them and talk without feeling like they’re a million miles away.”

Now he is getting somewhere. Sang Min’s eyes are bright and wet with tears. He turns his head to look at Danny again, sniffing. “What if I don’t know anything, huh? What then?”

“Then you don’t know anything, but I don’t think that’s the case. Is it?”

Sang Min frowns, looking down for a moment. Danny takes a deep breath waiting. Behind him he hears Steve huff, “This is a waste of time.” Danny says nothing but holds up a finger begging the man’s patience.

Finally, Sang Min looks up again, his expression determined. “What is it you wanna know?”

Danny does a mental fist pump and smiles. “You know Michael Jarlson?”

Sang Min nods. “Yeah. What about him?”

“He’s dead. We wanna know who would have reason to murder him?”

Sang Min’s eyes go wide for a second. “He’s dead?” His mouth hangs open, his eye rolling from left to right wildly. Danny doesn’t like this.

“You didn’t know?”

“How could I? I’ve been in here,” Sang Min says.

“Fair enough, but we have sources that say you might know something.”

“Like what?”

“Like maybe who did it? Was someone looking to bump him off? Take his place in the criminal food chain?”

Sang Min doesn’t answer right away. He’s moving his mouth around wordlessly, his gaze cast downwards. Is he stalling for time, while he thinks up a lie? Danny hopes that’s not the case.

“I didn’t know Jarlson was dead, but I know who you need to talk to.”

Danny’s eyebrows shoot up and he has to turn in his seat to silence Steve before he starts making threats. He turns his attention back to Sang Min. “Alright. Who?”

“You need to find Victor Hess.”

Danny blinks. “That’s it?”

Sang Min nodded, jutting his chin out. “That’s it. You gonna keep your word?”

Danny can feel Steve vibrating behind him. He nods. “Yeah. I’ll do what I can. But if this turns out to be bullshit, Forget it. Not only that, I’ll let my guy and his people do what they want to you and trust me when I say that Getting hit with an ashtray will the nicest thing they do.”

Sang Min snorts, smirking. “Fine. Oh, one more thing.” Danny looks at Sang Min giving the other his full attention. Sang Min leans forward, his face so close to the glass that his breath fogs it up. “Tell your boy,” He jerks his head toward Steve. “That he needs to be careful if he wants to make good on those threats.”

Danny stares as Sang Min leans back, hanging up the phone receiver and standing. Snapping out of his stupor, Danny bangs on the glass. “Hey! What in the hell does that mean?” But Sang Min is already gone, being led away by prison guards.

Danny hangs up the phone receiver as he stands. He sees that Meka is still there, but Steve is gone. “Where did he go?” He asks.

“He just rushed out. He seems excited,” Meka says.

“Excited?” Danny wonders about this. Steve couldn't have heard what Sang Min said not through the glass, so what was he excited for.

“Hell if I know,” Meka replies. “Hey. You really going to keep your word to that guy?”

Danny sighs. He’ll keep his word. He knows one or two guys that work at the prison that for the right amount will pull a string or two. He’ll have to tighten his belt in the next few months. He can make work.

Outside, they head to the Camaro and Danny can hear Steve on the phone with someone over by his truck.

“Yeah. No. Look Sang Min said we need to find Hesse. He’s our guy. Just pull up what you got and we’ll figure out how to track him when I get back.”

Danny frowns. Did he read the other's lips? Or is Steve jumping to some conclusion?

He's unlocking his car door as Steve hang up and moves over to him. “That was a good move. Feeding him that sob story to get him to talk,” he says.

Danny freezes as he hears Meka suck air through his teeth.

“Sob story?” He asks looking at Steve, one eyebrow up. Steve looks back at him his expression morphing from triumph to caution.

“Umm, what you told him about you having to move and all that...” He said, his voice growing soft.

“Did you think I was making that up?” Danny shoots back. He takes a step forward, his jaw tense and his fists balled up. He didn't like telling his story but it got them what they wanted.

Now, this knucklehead is implying that it was all crocodile tears? Danny never figured that he would want to kill someone. Not really, unless they messed with his family, but he's seeing red and there is no way he can be responsible for what happens next.

“Hey,” Meka calls, cutting through Danny’s thoughts. “We should get back to the station. I think we have some files we can examen.” Danny stops and takes a breath. Steve’s looking at him, wide-eyed, his complexion pale. He must realize what he implied and Danny can see the muscles in his neck move as Steve swallows.

“Uh, Danny… I ...”

Danny waves him off. “Yeah yeah. Meka’s right. We gotta jet. We’ll dig up what we know, which I’m sure will mean shit to you and your team, but Hey, We said we’d help and we will.” He throws open the car door. “And ah, don’t worry about us coming by and getting in the way. We’ll send anything we find through the interoffice mail. You should get in a week maybe two. Have a good one.”

He slides into the car before Steve can answer. Meka follows suit, and Danny speeds off, not looking back gripping his steering wheel.

~*~

Steve is all but running into headquarters. Hesse. He saw Sang Min's lip form the word. It’s Hesse they’re after and they’re going to find him. He doesn’t care if they have to turn over every rock on the island, They are going to find him. After that… Payback.

“Chin. Kono. Tell me we've got something,” he shouts.

Chin step out his office, a stack of papers in his hand.

“Not much on my end,” he says looking grim. “I double checked with the FBI and Interpol. They swear that Hesse is still on the island but no one has any clue where.”

“We’ll find him,” Steve says, completely certain of the fact. “We just need to think of a way to flush him out. What did Kono learn?”

Before Chin can answer, Kono is rounding the corner. “Hey, Boss. So everyone has been on the ball today. I guess because the governor threatening everyone with unemployment if we don’t solve this case. Max finished the autopsy and forensics have already run a tox screen on the tissue samples from Jarlson’s body. It conclusive. Poisoned with cyanide.”

“Alright. How did it get into his system?” Steve asks moving toward the smart table. Chin and Kono trot after him.

“Easy. The amaretto we found in the study,” Kono answers. “The glass had Jarlson’s fingerprints all over it and the bottle contained enough cyanide to take out a small army. Jarlson’s death would have been pretty quick.”

Steve nods. “What else you got?”

“Well, HPD’s team went back to the house with indicator spray and a blacklight. Found traces of blood in the kitchen, so it looks like that’s where Jarlson was cut up,” Chin says. “Everything that even looks like it could've been used has been collected and is being tested as we speak.”

“Good. What else?” The cousins share a look that Steve doesn’t appreciate.

“We found more fingerprints at the scene. They were on the bottle of amaretto. One set belongs to, get this, Victor Hesse,” Kono says. Steve could cheer. It was all coming together. They just needed to find him.

“And the other set?” He asks, not really caring. They probably belong to a housekeeper or something else. All in all unrelated to the matter at hand.

“We’re still working that out. The prints didn’t come up in IAFIS and we’re still running them through Interpol.”

Steve waves a hand. “Alright. No matter. We can place Hesse there at the scene.”

“We can, but there’s one more thing you should know,” Kono says.

Steve frowns blinking at her. “What?”

“You remember the message in the carpet in the study?” Steve nods. “Well that was tested and it’s human blood.”

“Let me guess. Jarlson’s?”

Kono shakes her head. “No. It’s yours, Boss.”

Steve freezes, his whole body feeling a chill. He stares out at nothing for a moment before blinking and looking at Kono. “Mine?”

“Yeah,” Kono says. “The lab tested it twice just to be sure, but it’s a positive match.”

“Everyone’s trying to figure out how someone could get that much of your blood,” Chin adds. Steve is wondering that too. His brain is going double time running over possible scenarios.

“Blood donations,” Steve says, after a beat. He licks his lips, looking from Chin to Kono. “I give blood at the Red Cross every two months. Plus, the hospital tries to keep someone hand” He sighs. “You know...”

“Just in case,” Chin adds. Steve nods his head. God knows he’s been in the ER at Queen’s Medical enough times to warrant it. Hell, he's been there so much he knows most of the staff by name.

“So, someone’s been raiding the Red Cross and the hospital to get your blood?” Kono asks.

“What's more, that makes this was pre-meditated,” Chin says. “They would have needed a few pints to leave that message like they did, so that means they’ve been collecting your blood for a while.”

Someone has been stealing his blood… Steve suddenly feels ill and his hands grip the edge of the smart table. He feels a hand on his shoulder coming from Kono, but he can’t even turn to acknowledge her.

“What is Hesse planning?” He whispers. Inhaling sharply, he pushes off the table and heads toward his office. “I want you two to run down names and address of everyone that’s worked for either the Red Cross or Queens for the last year. Find them, question them. I wanna know how Hesse got my blood and why.”

He goes into his office and sits on his leather sofa. He leans forward burying his face in his hands. He never knew Hesse was so sick. Everything Steve ever learned about the man would never account for this.

“Steve?”

Steve looks up to see Chin in his doorway. “What is it. Chin?”

Stepping inside Chin look thoughtful. “Can we be sure this is Hesse?”

Steve stares at him, not understanding. “How can it not be?” He stands, placing his hand on his hips turning in a semi-circle. “It has to be. That message in Jarlson’s study? That was to me. This is something personal and who to do we know that has that kind of vendetta against me?”

“Honestly?” Chin asks. Steve give him a pointed look, scowling. Chin looks right back at him, holding his gaze.

“Okay, I see your point, but,” Steve says. “But this isn’t some thug mad that he was busted. This is something else and I know that if we keep digging, we will find out that Hesse is behind it.”

“Maybe, but we need to make sure we don’t get tunnel vision here Steve. I know you want Hesse but─”

Steve slams a hand down on his desk. “You’re damn right I do! He almost killed my father and now he’s fucking taunting me, Chin.”

Chin says nothing for a moment. His expression is hard to read and Steve thinks he’s pushing his luck with his friend.

“I’m sorry Chin. I...”

“Hey, Don’t worry about it,” Chin says. He comes up to Steve and claps him on the arm. “Remember, Kono and I are on your side. We want him caught just as much as you do, but we also wanna make sure we’re going after the right guy.”

Steve nods, his body shaking a little as he stands there. He’s letting this get to him and that’s never a good thing. He’s so sure about this. He gives a weak smile. “Thanks, Chin.”

Chin smiles back him, warm and comforting. He opens his mouth to say something else when Steve remembers something.

“Shit. What time is it?”

Chin blinks before looking down at his watch. “A little after five. Why?”

Steve winces and fumbles in his pockets for his truck keys. “I've gotta go or I'm going to be late and if I'm late, I'll never hear the end of it from dad.”

“Oh right...” Chin says. “Tell your father I said hello.”

Steve nods and waves and hand as he darts out of his office. He dashes for the double glass doors when he hears Chin behind him, “Hey Steve, Good luck.”

Steve turns to look at his friend and gives him a smile he doesn't feel. His stomach is roiling with nerves. He shames himself as he makes it to his truck. It's just dinner. That's all. He doesn’t need to worry. He's faced down things far more frightening that dinner. Only right then, Steve would rather be facing those things than what he's up against.

He takes the turn that leads him to Piikoi Street when he hits the wheel making a sharp turn in the road, cutting off several drivers. He forgot he needs to bring a dessert. He thinks fast and heads to the market near his apartment. He can grab something there and then head to his dad's. And face whatever awaits him there.


	2. Chapter 2

Danny looks down into his little hand basket and wonders, again, why he's even bothering. Grace isn't staying with him so he has no reason to cook and whatever he makes will just burn anyways on that godforsaken stove of his, because, in spite of what maintenance says, the burners on it are broken. Yet, he moves on out of frozen foods towards the bakery. This store, besides being five minutes from his apartment, has the best cheesecake outside of New York and a slice or two might cheer him up after the day he's had.

He and Mika did find some files on Victor Hesse but nothing of any worth. At least, not for the current case they were working on. There would be no point in bothering Steve with any of it. Oh sure it could be funny to send the stuff to the guy just to piss him off, but that idea isn't that appealing at the moment.

He really doesn't want to be fighting with the man. It's just Steve is so… punchable. Yes, that was the word. Danny wants to punch him, even though he's already done so once that day. Of course, what Danny really want to do is see if Steve is any good at kissing, and making out, and...

It's at that moment Danny's brains shorts circuits and he has to take a deep breath to bring himself down from the mental images that are running wild in his mind.

Maybe Mika is right and he needs to get some. He could just go out, find someone nice, spend the night with them. Ugh, but Danny hates one night stands. He's never been good at them, preferring a nice steady courtship that led to a long-term commitment. No, it's best to stick with cheesecake for now. 

Speak of the devil. Danny stops when he spies Steve at the bakery counter, staring down into the display case like he's trying to defuse a bomb. Danny's introductory thought is, Nope! I've had enough of him and everything else on this damned island, so no. Then he remembers that moment outside the governor's office, then later outside the shaved ice stand. When Steve didn't look so much like an ass, but just guy doing his best. Danny sighs as he thinks that maybe... just maybe he could try. Even with what Steve said to him earlier, he can try. Be the bigger person in all this.

“Hey Steve,” he says walking up. He takes a look at what Steve is peering at so intently and finds assorted cakes. He laughs as for some reason the idea that this man would do something as mundane and normal as look at cakes in a grocery store is comical. He stops when he sees the pinched look on Steve's face.

It's not an angry look, just annoyed and the man looks tired and just as fed up as Danny is with everything.

“What's so funny?” Steve asks his voice low and toneless.

“The idea that you might buy a cake. I don't know why, but it... Amused me.” Danny sucked on his lips for a moment and sighs. “I'm sorry that sounds really shitty, doesn't it?”

Steve blinks, his brow furrowed but says nothing. After a moment, he shrugs his shoulders.

“Well if it helps, I'm having dinner with my father and he wants me to bring a dessert.”

Danny blinks. He wasn't expecting that, a semi-not rude reply. He points down into the case. “Here. Get that.”

“The cheesecake?”

“Yes. The Cheesecake. Trust me. It's the best your gonna get this far from the east coast. In fact,” He reaches down and picks up a similar cake and plops in his basket. “It's why I came over here.”

“Not to annoy me?”

“This may surprise you, but you are not the meaning of my life. In fact, until I met you my life was great.” That is an awful lie. Even before Danny came to Hawai'i and met Steve, his life had been a mess, but Steve didn't need to know that.

“Cool. Thanks,” Steve says.

That does Danny in.

His eyes go wide and he holds up his hands. “Whoa. Did anyone else hear that? Did you actually say something nice to me? Did you actually act like a human being and thank me? Am I dreaming? What's happening?” Okay so he's being the asshole this time, but he feels this is earned. After all the times Steve has been a dick to him, one little-unprovoked jab wouldn’t hurt?

For a moment Steve's eyes go dark and Danny expects him to knock him out right there in the store. But then he sags, sucking on his cheeks, his eyes looking off to one side.

“I can be civil when I want to be,” he says.

Danny cocks an eyebrow, “That's good. You should try it more often. You'd be surprised how effective it can be.”

Steve's eyes are back on him, glaring intently. There's anger in that look, but something else that he can't quite put his finger on. He hold's Steve’s stare unblinking because he'll be damned if he's going to show weakness in front of this neanderthal.

It's then he noticed how pretty Steve's eyes are. He thought they were brown, but he can see now they're hazel with little flecks of green shining under the store's lights. They peek out at him framed by a million eyelashes, all of them long and thick...

Danny's brain threatens to short out again and he has to reel his thoughts back in before they go back down the road to gutter-town.

He must have shown some sign of his internal struggle because Steve is now looking at him strangely as if Danny was an animal in the wild and Steve needs to figure out he should be running. Danny takes another deep breath and looks away, breaking the eye contact that is causing him so much grief.

“So, dinner with your dad?” He says when he feels it's safe to look at Steve once more.

“Yeah,”

Danny clears his throat. “That's good.” What the hell was that? Good? He hasn't been this tongue-tied in years. It doesn't help that Steve is still giving him that strange cautious look.

“Yeah. I guess,” Steve says. He turns from the bakery and Danny watches him go for a moment, frowning. He's partly affronted that Steve is seemly walking off without saying goodbye or anything. He also curious as to what the hell has gotten into the man. Time to do some detective work. Danny trots after Steve.

“You don't seem thrilled about it,” Danny says sidling up behind Steve, who has taken up station in a check-out line.

For several seconds, Steve says nothing but Danny watches as Steve's head bobs from side to side like he's debating something.

“It's complicated” Steve answers after a beat, not looking at him.

Danny purses his lips and thinks to ask another question, but he can see the tension in Steve's neck. This dinner is already causing his neighbor a far amount of stress.

“Family always is, babe,” he says thinking over his own family.

Steve turns to looks at him briefly, his expression thoughtful. His gaze is soft and for second Danny think he might say something, add to the conversation, but then it's Steve turn to be rung up. The transaction is fast and Steve is heading toward the exit without so much a backward glance. Danny sets his basket down on the conveyer belt as he watches him go.

He's learned something here. He's not sure what, but something. Perhaps his neighbor isn't as much of a jerk as he thought. Just complicated.

~*~

Steve stands at the kitchen sink in his father's tiny kitchen and carefully washes the dishes. He can hear his dad in the next room muttering something to their guests as they take their leave for the night. Probably apologizing. Steve's jaw shifts as he rinses the plate in his hands and sets it in the drying rack.

From the next room, Steve hears the front door shut and his father sigh. No one could sigh like John McGarrett. It's like a death-toll, and that sound has haunted Steve's nightmares for years. Steve finishes washing the last dish in the sink and starts draining the water when his father walks into the kitchen.

“Steve,” John says

“Yeah dad,” Steve turns to face his father seeing the man standing next to the small kitchen island with his arms crossed over his chest. Suddenly, Steve is five years old again facing his father when he had been caught breaking a window playing ball inside the house. He knew that his father wasn't really mad at him, but still.

“What the hell was that?” John asks.

“What do you mean, Dad?” Steve grabs a dishtowel and starts drying dishes, his eye averted from his father's face.

“You know what I mean, Steven. You show up late, wearing a polo shirt and dirty cargo parts with your face busted up. And then you spend the whole meal terrifying our guests.”

“Richard asked what I did for a living and I told him,” Steve counters.

There is a disgusted groan from his father. “You couldn't just say I work for Five-0 and leave it at that. Did you have to be so detailed?”

No, Steve didn't have to be so detailed, but his thinking is if a person wanted to date him they would have to face the reality that what he did for a living is dangerous. There's no sugarcoating that.

“I didn't mean to make things awkward. I was just being truthful.” Steve sets down the plate he was drying and reaches for another. Before he can start, his father is there taking the dish out of his hands.

“Steve, look at me,” he says. Steve does. He stares into his father light colored eyes and is hit with how old his father has gotten. It isn't that Steve doesn't know his dad is putting on the years, but every time he sees him it's still a shock. Perhaps it is because in Steve's mind his father still looks like he did when he was fifteen. When the man had put in on a plane to live on the mainland. Funny how things like that get stuck in one's head.

“Steve, I know you didn't want to be here tonight,” John starts. “I'm not a fool son, but… I'm trying to help.”

“I know Dad, but I don't need help. Not like that.”

“Is that so?” John cocks his head to the side as he gives Steve a dry look. “No offense son, you don't seem to be beating 'em off with a stick.”

Steve rolls his eyes as he inhales through his nose. “I have more important things going on in my life than dating, okay?”

The dry look on his father's face doesn't ease up. In fact, it's now mixed with annoyance and sadness. Like Steve has disappointed the old man. That hits hard. So much of Steve's life has been spent trying to make his father proud of him. It's hard to fathom that he's failed after all he's everything he's been through. Especially over something like dating. He lowers his gaze, not sure what to do with his hands. He ends up tucking them behind his back, settling into parade rest.

If John notices, he doesn't say. A silence fills the kitchen and Steve wants to take his leave of the house. He doesn't move though. He's waiting. He knows his father has more to say. He's just going over his words carefully in his mind.

John finally blows out a sigh and clasps a hand on Steve's shoulder. “Steve, I just want good things for you.”

“Yes, Sir,” Steve replies not looking up.

“I know you're busy. You have a lot on your plate, but I don't want to you to miss out on being happy.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Not that being married will make you happy. I just think that having someone to share your life with will make life a little more fulfilling, and ─ Goddammit. Stop looking at the floor.”

Steve brings his gaze upward to look at his father. John's face is drawn tight, his lips thin line. He's not angry. He's concerned and that's somehow worse.

“Thank you,” John says. “Steve, what I'm trying to say is...” He stops, licks his lip and waves a hand. “I worry about you.”

As if the look isn't enough, his father has to say that. It makes Steve feel even worse. He doesn’t want his father to worry about him. It makes all those years of avoiding coming home reek of so much guilt and shame. It makes his anger toward the man in his youth seem fruitless and petty.

“I know Dad, but I'm fine. I don't need to find someone. Not right now.” Steve licks his lips. “I really do have a lot going. Every case we get is top priority and I can't afford to be distracted.”

John's mouth twists up as he drops his hand from Steve's shoulder. He takes step back looking put out and runs a hand over his face. “I'm going to have a talk with Pat about working you too hard,” he says.

“Dad!”

“Don't you dad me, Steven. I've known her for a long time, back when she was just a community organizer for the city and I can tell her to go easy on my boy if I want to.”

Steve swallows the embarrassed groan that is threatening to come screaming out of his mouth at any second. He isn't a child so why his father acting like the Governor was some teacher that was giving him a hard time in class?

“I spoke with the Governor earlier today, Dad. I don't need you step in on my behalf,” he says keeping his calm for the moment. John makes dismissive noise from the back of his throat. Obviously, that isn't enough and Steve gives him pleading look. “Please, dad. Just let me handle my own affairs.”

“Fine,” John says relenting. Steve sighs, relieved for the moment. That relief is short-lived as his father adds, “I'm not giving up on you finding someone, Steve. It will just take some time, but there is someone out there for you.”

Steve does groan this time. There is nothing else for it. Steve will just have to accept that his father wants to play match marker like some old biddy. It doesn't mean he has to like it.

John raises a finger at Steve daring him to say one more word about it before handing Steve the semi-wet plate and leaving the room. It would seem that the conversation is over for the moment.

Steve finishes cleaning and heads for the door. His father in the living room watching the news. It seems a new hotel is going up and there are protests about how it's too close to scared land. He'll hear more about it tomorrow from Kono as he's sure if she's not there protesting herself, one of her many cousins are.

“I'm off dad. Need anything before I go,” Steve asks touching the doorknob.

“Nah. I'm good.” John stands from the couch, wincing at little as one of his joints pops and he shuffles over to Steve. “You behave. I don't know who gave you that smack on your gob, but it's good one. I don't want to think that you did something to earn it.”

Steve sucks in his lips looking away for a moment. “I may have gotten into it with one of the guys from HPD.”

“Steve, don't fight with your fellow law enforcers. At least not over anything petty. You never know when you'll need their help and if you're trading blows with one of them, their response time might be a little too slow if you know what I mean.”

Steve did. He knew how that worked. You caused trouble, you got singled out. Not just that but with how things worked out today he's starting to think that he shouldn't be butting heads with Danny at every turn. The man is good at what he does as far as Steve can tell. He got information out of Sang Min when Steve had gotten nothing. It only cost him sharing something that was personal to do it.

Steve still can't believe that he misspoke to Danny like he did. He had figured that the man was separated from his wife, but he had no idea that the guy uprooted his whole life to be with his daughter. It made him think that he wasn't being fair to Danny.

He nods his head telling his father that he heard him and is about to go when something from before enters his mind. Something his father said before about fulfillment.

“Hey Dad,” Steve starts. “What you said before about me finding someone making my life more fulfilling─ Is that how you felt about mom?”

John's face is blank at first. Then a soft glow spreads over it. It's the sweetest and saddest thing Steve has ever seen.

“Oh yes. The day I met your mother was the best day of my life. Then the day I married her was the best day. Then that too was eclipsed when we had you and your sister.” John sucks on his lips and turns his head, but not before Steve catches the first hint of a tear in his father's eyes. Is his dad crying? Of all the thing Steve McGarrett thought he would see, his father crying is not one of them.

Steve stands there awkwardly, uncertain what he should do or say. He's been trained from a young age that men did not show emotion. Those who did should not be indulged, but this is his father.

He reaches out a hand and places it on his father's shoulder. He smiles as his dad looks at him. It's a simple gesture to be sure, but John smiles back and the two of them have a quiet moment together. Walls were coming down between them. It's a slow and, often times, painful process, but never the less, progress is being made.

“Alright Steve,” John says breaking up the moment. He clears his throat and makes a low gruff sound. “Get out of here. I'm sure you have another big day ahead of you tomorrow, so get some sleep.”

Steve drops his hand but continues to smile. “Okay, Dad. I'll see you later.”

John nods his head and Steve takes off. Right before he gets into his truck to leave, his father is on the porch calling out him.

“Hey Steve, I know you're busy but maybe you could come around more often?” In the dim light of the porch, his father looks small and Steve swallows remembering how he almost lost the man. “It's just… Well, this house is too big for one man, you know?”

Steve understands. This is his father's ways of saying he's lonely. “Okay,” Steve says. “Maybe I can come by on my next day off and we can work on the Marquis?”

The smile his father give him is hopeful and it makes Steve realize that he hasn't been the best son in the world. “Yeah. That sounds great.” He gives Steve a wave and Steve waves back saying goodnight one more before hopping into his truck and backing out of his father's driveway.

He drives home, thinking. About his father and where their relationship is going. About Danny and where their relationship should go. It's all jumbling together with the case and catching Victor. He finally relents, turning on the radio to drown it all out.

 


End file.
